Cant catch yearling help me urgently.....

[seaview]

Hi everyone,

I am looking after a friends yearling, it grazes with my two year old and I feed etc daily, however before she left it there (only 2 weeks ago now!) she put a webtec headcollar on it!!!!
Well problem is now its cut her chin very badly and I cant catch her to take it off, its just where the buckle is on her chin and its getting worse onn a daily basis, anyone have any suggestions have tried the usual, food, herding it in etc etc but it bites and kicks!

Nat
x

 

[Christmas_Kate]

i'm afraid if this is the case, that the headcollar is cutting into it, you may need to get a vet out to sedate it. Urgently. Or you will end up with an infection.

 

[the watcher]

I would call the vet, either to dart the horse or feed a sedative so that it can be treated, if it's behaviour has become that violent there may be other injuries

 

[seaview]

Its just half wild tbh its never been handled,
I asked a vet and he told me that was too extreme, I agree with the infection bit as that is what I was concerned about!
think I will phone another vet!
Nat

 

[AmyMay]

Is your friend contactable???

 

[filly190]

What I would suggest is this;

Get some electric fencing posts and tape, make your field smaller and smaller, until you have the yearling in a small manageable area. You'll need some friends to help, if you are on your own it will take longer, but if you do it when you are bucket feeding in the field, it should'nt take too long.

When you have reduced your area enough, aim to create a monty roberts size pen. If its still not safe to go in, take away all food and water and wait for a few hours, the horse will be hungrey and thirsty so will have to accept you in order to survive. You should achieve all of this in just less than two days.

I would image that the head collar has been left on because of catching difficulties and if your friend has been grabbing at the yearling, it makes them worse

I hope my suggestion helps, friends have used this method and it is very sucessful. Good luck

 

[sorona]

If you have already spoken to the vet, perhaps he could prescrible some antibiotics to put in his feed so at least infection shouldnt set in!
I agreew ith filly190, you should contain him in a smaller and smaller area but unfortunatly some youngsters have no respect for elec fencing and will still tear through it if frightened, causing even more damage and trauma.
With my mad youngster, I managed to herd him into a stable using food and lots of friends. I lead my other youngster into the stable and he followed but i needed others there to shut the door behind and stop him running out. Once in, I used a 5 bar gate which I took off the hinges and penned him in the corner of the stable to enable me to get near him without injuring myself. That was the only way i could manage to get a headcollar on him and check him over as he had managed to go through 2 barbed wire fences.
Good luck, prhaps your friend could do with talking to a natural horsemanship person, I wish i had as my friend had a very viscious yearling filly who came at you with her teeth and feet and within 1 1/2 hrs, she was in a headcollar, and leading round beautifully and hasnt looked back. It took me months with 1 of my boys and only 2 weeks with the other 2 who were all totally wild and untouched!
Good luck, hope he is going to be okay

 

[the watcher]

It was this likelihood of injury that made me suggest sedation. Years of trying to capture wild stray ponies using various boxing in methods have taught me that if they are desperate enough they have no regard for their own safety.

 

[lauren_lryan]

I had the same problem. the only way i could get near it was standin as close as possible without it sunning off, then turn, face the other way and then even crouch down, may take a while but curiosity will soon win over and it may even come up to you, if not, stay crouched so that your not appearring threatening, and slowly walk up to them, talking as you go. it may take a few attemps and a bit if time but be paitient!

 

[henryhorn]

Surely it will follow the existing friend into a stable? Once in there, remove the mate and just take your time. If all else fails get a couple of strong chaps and a gate, and corner it in a corner with the gate. You should then be able to put your hands over or through (be careful) and remove the headcollar.
Until then give it anti biotics in it's food if the vet agrees, to stop the infection. If it's not infected it will heal as soon as you take the headcollar off.
We have to catch horses in off over 100 acres, you need to remove the rest and then just let it follow it's friend, it will, you just have to be very patient!

 

[sojeph]

Agree with HH. I have a wild pony in my care at the moment. I have been advised to make some sort of cattle crush which I am doing. You need to get the pony in an area where it knows it can't escape ie high sided all round. Obviously this isn't ideal but this is an exceptional circumstances whereby your pony needs the headcollar off. Good luck.
Obviously then you can concentrate on getting him used to the headcollar. At least he's quite young. My pony is 6 and is a rig so is gonna take a while!